Working memory - luminosity

The Science Behind Memory Matrix Millions of Lumosity members worldwide enjoy Memory Matrix. But this popular game is more than just a game: as you play, you’re challenging important aspects of your working memory, including your working memory capacityand ability to chunk information. Working memory: your brain’s power source Working memory, by definition, refers to your ability to hold and manipulate information in your mind. And the amount of information you can handle—also known as your working memory capacity—plays a large role in how quickly and effectively you process complex situations. To use a computer analogy, the bigger your memory storage, the better equipped you are to handle demanding tasks.  Just as a supercomputer can handle complicated projects such as mapping a genome, a person with a developed working memory capacity can do mental math quicker, hold their own in a fast-moving debate, or follow complicated directions through a new city without writing anything down. Is working memory limited by the “magic number”? In 1955, Princeton psychologist George Miller published a paper that declared that most people’s working memory capacity waslimited to about seven “chunks” of information. Still one of the most highly cited psychology papers to date, these findings became known as Miller’s Rule. Miller’s Rule was based off experiments in which he found that seven (plus or minus two) was the number of digits, letters, or words that most people could successfully repeat back without error. In the 60 years since Miller’s paper was published, other researchers have questioned the universality of his rule: for example, some studies have found that people can remember 7 chunks when it comes to digits, but only 6 for letters and 5 for words. Nonetheless, there is widespreadagreement that working memory capacity is limited to a relatively small number of chunks. The good news: there may be a way to improve. Remembering more is possible Miller’s Rule is not the last word on memory ability, as you probably realize.You may have a friend with a seemingly unlimited memory. Or maybe you’ve memorized a string of digits—such as a credit card or bank account number—far longer than seven plus or minus two. People with impressive memory abilities are often skilled atchunking information in an intelligent way. Given the numbers “7 4 7 6,” you could choose to think of each number individually, using four memory chunks—or you could turn those numbers into the memorable date of America’s independence, July 4, 1776, and remember them as a single chunk. Though you may be limited in the number of “chunks” your working memory can hold, you have nearly unlimited ability to make each chunk rich with far more information. This chunking strategy is used by experts in competitive memory competitions. And it’s also used by Lumosity members who excel at Memory Matrix. When faced with the top level of 15 tiles, a Memory Matrix beginner and a Memory Matrix expert don’t process the information in the same way. The beginner may attempt to remember each individual tile, fumbling quickly—but an expert can group 15 tiles into 3 or 4 discrete patterns and breeze through Memory Matrix by chunking intelligently. Master Memory Matrix, train your working memory Though the above strategy can give you a boost, Memory Matrix—and all other Lumosity Memory games—don’t rely solely on chunking. They’re designed to directly exercise your working memory, possibly improving your capacity to hold “chunks”! Through practice, effort, and awareness, you can stretch the limits of the abilities you’re born with. Unlock full access today to train with all our working memory games, including the even trickierRotation Matrix. Then harness the power of all 40+ subscriber-only games to reach your full potential. Subscribe to Lumosity within the next 3 days to receive 25% off This email was sent to mohsen2mirza@gmail.com. Your username is Mohsen2mirza. Update your email preferences or unsubscribe. Have questions? We're here to help! Contact us anytime. Lumos Labs, Inc. | 153 Kearny St, Floor 6 | San Francisco, CA 94108

Happiness and Unfocused Mind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOETUvaOxDA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Truth about Exercise

New Truth about Exercise

Jamie Timmons, Loughborough University, Jan 2013

Summary  
HiT greater beneficial impact than moderate exercise. 
HiT modifies Insulin and Cardiovascular related risk factors
It removes the time barrier from exercise and need 1 min per day
It is more enjoyable than conventional exercise
Long-term impact of HiT is unknown.

Why Exercise?

- social, fitness, obesity, weight, sport, addiction, feel-good, ...

- should focus on end goal

Recommendation by NHS & Heart Foundation 150 min /w of moderate intensity exercise because:
- moderate intensity to burn fat and gain aerobic & cardio fitness
- high intensity exercise builds power and speed

General View (NHS) - Lifestyle mean living 10 years longer
- non-smoking
- BMI < 25?
- Regular exercise > 150 minutes /week
- Hi Plant, Low fat diet
- Low alcohol intake
- (no meditation)

life-style intervention - cardiovascular deaths (CVD)
 500+ people, 4 yrs life-style change, diabetes reduced, no benefit for CVD after 10 yrs
 500+ obese people with type 2 diabetes. lifestyle intervention. no benefit on CVD

Expert advice for heart and diabetes - more exercise is better
1. not based on scientific facts
2. time barrier

Effect of long-term exercise 
1. increase aerobic capacity in 80% people 
2. improve insulin action 65% people
3. reduce blood pressure in 50 people
4. increase HDL
5. increase muscle/bone mass in some
    No indication on which type exercise is best for you 

Do you need recommended 150 min exercise per week?
- exercise uses oxygen to point after which energy stored in muscles is used.
- duration of intensive exercise: 30 sec average person; 10 min for world class athlete

Varieties of HIT 
- 6 x (30 sec intensive bike + 2 min or rest)
- 10 x (1 min less intensive + 1 min rest)
- 3 x (20 sec intensive exercise + 40 sec rest) - current studies, no sweating, done at work

Effect of 2 week HIT training after intake of high sugar drink
- fall in glocuse was rapid
- insulin required sugar cleared quickly
c - this effect is not seen in from ordinary regular exercise

Effect of 4 to 6 weeks HIT training on middle aged men inc. 3min HIT
- less increase in blood glucose after eating a meal
- 72 hrs after HIT sessions less increase in glucose after a meal
- 72 hrs after moderate intensity regular exercise, no control of glucose after a meal
similar effects were seen in people of type II diabetic patient

Effect of inactivity
- leads to waste of muscles and increase in age related problems
- energy expenditure of high fat free mass is similar to current hunter gatherers
c- people with high fat are just eating more and not because today's life is less active

The study shows 
- exercise should be tailored for each person
- some people dont respond to exercise and we dont know how to change this effect yet
- we cant prescribe exercise as a treatment for a disease. 

Response
- health is more than control cardio and insulin risk factors
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YymcTWMEA1M
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